Page:Life of William Shelburne (vol 1).djvu/121

Rh "The Duke of Cumberland ask'd on Thursday to be answered Sunday, not immediately.

"I could not mean to prevent Lord Bute's opposing it, for I never imagined he would. I flattered myself almost into a certainty he would assist me; and thought this manner of asking might make it more easy for him to advise and obtain a favourable answer, which, upon my honour, I meant by my message to implore of His Lordship as a thing on which the happiness of my life depended; I am sorry to feel and ashamed to own how much. I understand that mortification, not that happiness is determined to be my lot for the present, perhaps for ever.

"When Lord Bute shall have read and believed what is in this paper, I shall be glad to wait on His Lordship for half-an-hour, when he lets me know it will be convenient."

Bute now became alarmed at the idea of possibly having Fox for a determined opponent, and an interview was arranged in accordance with the closing suggestion of the memorandum, at which terms were at length agreed upon.

"Lord Bute," writes Fox to Shelburne, "himself proposed to me a liberty which solves a great deal of my difficulty and which I will not abuse. I may, when I think it necessary, say that, on this being asked for me six months ago, I had such assurances given me as leave me no doubt of obtaining the favour before the end of the next session, and I think I see his Lordship will not by choice delay it to the very end. I am therefore satisfied and exceedingly obliged to your Lordship."

Such was the agreement as to what was to be done for Fox. What Fox was to do in return may be gathered from the following letter:

—I did what you desired as exactly as I could. Mr. Fox will attend every day, and will,